Maitreya Project Relic Tour

A groups of friends and I went to a tour of Buddhist relics at UC Irvine on Saturday.  I almost didn't go as I haven't been feeling well for just over a week now.  I'm fighting a chest cold.  However, I'd seen the tour in the Chicago area about four years ago and know how wonderful such an opportunity is, so I couldn't resist.

We left at 9:00am in two cars.  Luckily, I didn't need to drive so I was able to rest on the way down.  When we arrived about an hour later, they were still setting up, so we sat and watched a video about the project.  The tour is part of a massive project by the FPMT to build a 500 foot tall statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva, the future Great Buddha who will restart the wheel of the Dharma after the Dharma as taught by the historical Buddha Shakyamuni has declined.  That's a 50 story building people!  There will be libraries, shrines, a medical clinic, a school system, and various other projects within and around the statue, which will be built in Kushinagara, the place of the Buddha's enterance into final nirvana (i.e. his apparent death).

When the relic room opened, it was something to see.  The space was small, but they had set up an elaborate altar with room to circumambulate the entire display.  The relics were in four small cases at each corner of the altar, and included relics of Indian masters such as Shakyamuni Buddha and Nagarjuna.  There were then mostly relics from Tibetan masters, such as Yeshe Tsogyal, Marpa Lotsawa, and Milarepa.  There was even a relic from a Korean Zen Master that appeared to be part of his skull. 

Most of the relics were small grain-like items of various sizes, most of which had formed during the cremation process as the heat transformed the bone marrow.  One rib-bone relic from a modern master actually had two relics attached to it as if they were growing out of the bone.  This was an interesting glimpse of the process.  The relic of Yeshe Tsogyal I mentioned above, though, was a fragment of writing from her.  I'm not sure if any body relics of her exist.

After the opening prayers were said by all, led by the two women travelling with the relic tour on this leg of its journey, an American monk in the Chinese tradition led prayers with members of the local Buddhist community--a food offering service, complete with cymbals, drums, and other instruments.  After that we were invited to view the relics and circumambulate them clockwise. 

A few minutes into this, I was invited by one of the caretakers of the relics to actually hold one of the small brass stupas housing some Shakyamuni Buddha relics to give blessings to people.  The stupa had four small glass windows so the relics could actually be seen.  She brought it to me, got down on one knee and presented it to me, then did prostrations.  People quickly lined up, many of them doing prostrations to the relics before kneeling down so I could place the stupa on the crown of their head while chanting mantras.  It was an odd feeling doing that.  Of course, I wasn't giving any blessings as the blessings come from the relics, but being the "conductor" of the blessings, if that's the right word, was a unique experience indeed.

Shakya and the group in his car left while I was doing that, so Tiffany and our driver waited a bit until everyone there had a chance to be blessed.  I then returned the relics, and sat down for a sandwhich offered to us before hitting the road.  Unfortunately, just as we pulled to a stop in the Uwest parking lot, our driver became quite ill in the car.  He jumped out quickly to finish.  Luckily, there was a hose nearby for him to wash out his mouth.  Later, Tiffany told me he said thank you to me for conducting the blessing with the Shakyamuni relics.  He had never before been so violently ill and thus thought it was purification brought on by connecting with the relics.  Whether that's true or not I don't know, but instead of complaining about it and being upset by the mess, he chose to view the situation positively.  I think that says something about the Buddhist world-view.

The tour is moving around quite a bit, so I'm looking forward to seeing it again when it returns to Long Beach if I can go.  Enjoy the pictures below.

This is part of our group in a coffee house on campus prior to seeing the relics.

And this is me sucking down an iced chai.  Shakya thought this was a funny shot.

First is Shirleen, Tiffany, one of the Caretakers for the Relics, and Shakya.

This was taken during the food blessing ceremony led by a Chinese-American Venerable, but he isn't pictured here.

This is the statue of Mietreya Bodhisattva who will become the next Great Buddha.  He is currently in the Tsushita Heaven practicing to become a fully enlightened Buddha.

Here are some of the altar offerings and a statue of the baby Buddha.  Usually this statue is only put out for the Buddha's birthday, but the head of the FPMT, Lama Zopa, decided about a year ago that it should be a regular part of the relic altar.  People were invited to bathe the Buddha image in commemoration of the sweet rain that fell as an offering from the gods after the Buddha was born.  The water is yellow because saffron has been added to it for purification.

People circumambulating and viewing the relics.  In most Buddhist traditions, one circles holy objects clockwise.

I believe these are the Shakyamuni Buddha relics.

These are relics of some modern masters, such as Pabonka Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe (the founder of the FPMT).  There's also a relic from a Korean Zen Master in the lower right corner.

The Yeshe Tsogyal relic.

Here the caretaker is presenting me with one of the small stupas holding some of the Shakyamuni relics to give people blessings.

Tiffany and most of the others present received a blessing from the relics.

Me and Shakya.  His devotion is inspiring.  He's the one who organized the trip down to Irvine.

I still don't have the photos from the 4th. I forgot to get them when I got these earlier today.  Previously, technical difficulties prevented me from getting them, but I'll try to remember for later.

If you get a chance to see the relics, don't hesitate to go. It's an incredibly rare opportunity.  In Asia, relics are rarely put out for viewing, so if one is open to the public, thousands will attend.  Even then, it's next to impossible to get this close.

Forgot to mention that I've already seen the new Harry Potter movie. It's awsome!  I plan to see it again...and again, and again (when it comes out on DVD).  The new book (the last!) comes out Friday at midnight, so I'll be working that night until around 2am.  Ai yai YAI!  I'll probably buy my own copy that night and read until I colapse after I get home.

Comments

[mangadezi]

i love chai. i tastes like christmas. or potpourri, i can't quite decide.
and oh, by the by-- my daughter's nickname (that she chose when she was 2 1/2) is "BESS".

[mangadezi]

i love chai. it tastes like christmas. or potpourri, i can't quite decide.
and oh, by the by-- my daughter's nickname (that she chose when she was 2 1/2) is "BESS".

[Rinchen Gyatso]

Mangadezi-

I'm confused by the "BESS" comment. ...??? Why did you mention this?

[roosta]

(O)

[scruffysmileyface]

Hey, Venerable Gyatso! I just got back from your neighborhood (well, Hsi Lai, anyway). Loved the trip! That's a beautiful part of the country.

A beautiful place to practice.

[Charles B]

(0)

[michael tran]

Venerable! Thank you all so much for coming! I'll have to go visit you guys some time...It's been so long since I've been back there...miss ya guys!

[Danny Fisher]

I love the new profile photo--of you with the drink. It makes me smile every time I surf on over here.

[EdaMommy]

I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with Danny.